COLUMBIA, Mo. – With the regular season Mid-American Conference Championship already locked up, fifth-ranked Mizzou Wrestling will head to Northern Illinois this Friday at 7 p.m. At 13-0 and an unblemished 6-0 mark in MAC duals, Mizzou is in search of a perfect slate in MAC dual action for the fourth time in seven seasons since joining the league.
Mizzou is coming off a 32-15 win over Central Michigan last Saturday, part of a 2-0 week that also included a 29-12 win over No. 14 Northern Iowa. Saturday's win over Central Michigan pushed Mizzou's overall record to 13-0, including a 6-0 mark in MAC action. That clinched Mizzou the MAC regular season championship, its eighth consecutive year with either a conference tournament or regular season title.
Northern Illinois enters Friday's dual with a 5-6 mark on the year, including a 1-2 record in three MAC duals. NIU crushed a pair of weekend opponents in The Citadel and Hofstra, winning the two duals 42-3 and 33-7, respectively. In fact, the Huskies have won three straight duals heading into Friday's contest. Mizzou of course has won 33 straight and 70 of its last 71 duals.
Mizzou leads the all-time series with Northern Illinois, 15-4, including a perfect 6-0 mark since joining the MAC. Mizzou has outscored NIU, 191-44, over those six duals, good for an average win of 32-7.
Head coach Brian Smith will send a lineup similar to the one he has all season to the mat Friday. Below is a look at Mizzou's projected starters, which includes seven ranked wrestlers:
- 125 – Dack Punke (7-5)
- 133 – Cameron Valdiviez (9-4)
- 141 – #3 Jaydin Eierman (16-3)
- 149 – #7 Brock Mauller (22-1)
- 157 – #16 Jarrett Jacques (20-5)
- 165 – #13 Connor Flynn (15-4)
- 174 – Luke Fortuna (7-7)
- 184 – #4 Daniel Lewis (17-1)
- 197 – #15 Wyatt Koelling (15-7)
- 285 – #19 Zach Elam (17-6)
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